1.5 lakh IHLLs to be constructed under NBA: Sagar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 17: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar has asked the officers to speed up the implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhyan (NBA), so that the hygiene as well as ecology of the rural and far-flung areas is maintained.
The Minister was addressing a review meeting of the Rural Development Department. Minister of State for Technical Education/Rural Development, Vikar Rasool, Director’s Rural development Jammu/ Kashmir, Shafiq Ahmed Raina, Director Rural sanitation Tufail Matoo, Speical Secretary Rural Development Sajad Ahmed, Member Secretary MGNREGA, Pawan Rathore, Director Social Audit, Dr. A. G Sofi, Chief Executive Officer IWMP, Shah and other senior officers were also present.
Mr. Sagar impressed upon the Director Rural Sanitation to ensure that the funds earmarked under NBA are fully utilized and he should complete the target of providing 1.5 lakh Individual Household Latrines (IHLL) for ensuring the overall hygiene of rural and far flung areas of the State. He said special thrust should be given to schools, Aganwardi centres and the panchayats should also be involved in ensuring the proper implementation of the scheme and the work should also be taken in convergence with MGNREGA.
Mr. Sagar said that the Government is also contemplating to increase the wage rate under MGNREGA from the existing one and the same would be announced in the near future. He said that the officers should ensure that the benefit of various rural development schemes percolates to the genuine beneficiaries.
The meeting was told that an amount of Rs. 80 crore has been earmarked under NBA for the current year and 18000 IHLL have been constructed till December this year. It was also given an out that amount of Rs. 429 crore has been spent under MGNREGA by generating 236 lakh man days till December 2012.